Facial mask with oxygen/air mixing means



Feb. 23, 1965 J. E. DUGGAN FACIAL MASK WITH OXYGEN/AIR MIXING MEANS Filed Sept. 28, 1962 INVENTOR.

JAME S E. DUGGAN ATTORNEYS United States Patent Office This invention relates generally to facial masks, and

FIGURE 3 is a rear elevational view of the mask. FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

refers more particularly to masks of thistype having a A face of the wearer.

body thereof is made from a flexible plastic material such 7 as vinyl plastisol. 1

Another object is to provide a facial mask having a the base of the cup-shaped body two laterally spaced outwardly projecting substantially parallel tubular projections and a plurality of openings, whereby a regulated quantity of oxygen under pressure from a suitable source maybe supplied into the mask through one of said tubular projections and air from the atmosphere may be sup plied into the mask through said openings to be commingled with the oxygen when the wearer inhales, and whereby a mixture of oxygen and air may be discharged through said openings and through the other of said tubular projections into a bag connected to said other projection when the wearer exhales.

Another object is to provide a facial mask wherein the openings mentioned collectively are substantially equal in area to the cross sectional area of the passage in the projection to which the bag is connected, so that the mixture of oxygen and air discharged through said openings to the atmosphere is substantially equal to that discharged through said projection into the bag.

Another object is to provide a facial mask that is held in place upon the face of the wearer by means of a plastic retaining strap that is detachably anchored at one end thereof to one of the tubular projections aforesaid, that extends around the head of the wearer, and that is provided at its free end with a series of longitudinally spaced openings that are selectively anchored to the one tubular projection aforesaid.

' Another object is to provide a facial mask wherein op-' posite ends of the plastic strap are anchored to the tubular projection mentioned before a tube or conduit from a source of oxygen is attached to said tubular projection.

Another object is to provide a facial'mask wherein the plastic strap is formed from elastic material such as polyvinyl chloride, so that it will exert a pressure on the mask to cause the free edges thereof to bear firmly against the face of the wearer, and will yield if necessary to cornpensate for movement of the facial muscles when the wearer inhales and exhales.

Another object is to provide a facial mask that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and efficieut in operation.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the mask applied to the face of the wearer.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the mask.

:FIGURE 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary detail view of the retaining strap.

In the drawing, 10 is the body, 11 and 12 respectively are the two laterallyspaced tubular projections, 13 are the elongated openings, and 14 is the retaining strap of a facial mask embodying my invention. 1

As shown, the body 10 is an elongated hollow cup shaped member adapted to be positioned over the nose and mouth of the wearer, and has rim portions 15, 16, 17 and 18 respectively adapted to be positioned against the Such edges 15, 16, 17 and 18 respectively bear against the nose, cheeks and chin of the wearer when the mask is applied to the face of the wearer. Preferably the body 10 is molded to the desired shape, and is made from a flexible plastic material such as vinyl plastisol.

The two laterally spaced tubular projections 11 and 12 are integral with and project outwardly from the base 19 of the body 10. Such tubular projections are substantially parallel to each other and register with openings 20 and 21 in the base 19 of the body 10.

Preferably the tubular projection 11 is small relative to the tubular projection 12 and constitutes the inlet to the mask for a regulated quantity of oxygen under pressure from a suitable source such as a tank (not shown). In this connection, the quantity of oxygen supplied to the mask is regulated at the tank (not shown). Such tubular projection 11 is provided in spaced relation to the base 19 of the body 10 with an annular flange 22, and is provided from the flange 22 to the free end of the projection with a slightly tapered portion 23. Any suitable means such as a rubber tube or conduit 24 leading from the tank (not shown) containing oxygen under pressure may be anchored upon the tapered portion 23 of the tubular projection 11.

Preferably the larger tubular projection 12 is substantially cylindrical in configuration, and has an annular flange 25 at its free end. Sleeved upon this tubular projection 12 is the tubular neck 26 of a plastic bag 27, while any suitable means such as a band 28 of tape may encircle the tubular neck 26 and the tubular projection 12 above the annular flange 25 to secure the bag 27 to theprojection 12.

The elongated openings 13 are provided in the base 19 of the body 10, and preferably are arranged in spaced relation to'each other in a circle surrounding and substantially concentric with the tubular projection 12. Such openings 13 collectively are substantially equal in area to the cross sectional area of the passage 29 in the tubular projection 12 to which the bag 27 is connected.

The retaining strap 14 for holding the mask upon the face of the wearer has adjacent one end 30 thereof a single opening 31, and is detachably anchored to the projection 11 by sleeving the edges of said opening 31 over the annular flange 22 onto the annular portion 32 of the projection 11 between said flange 22 and the base 19 of the body 10. Such strap is adapted to extend around the head of the wearer, and is provided adjacent its free end 33 with a series of longitudinally spaced openings 34 that are selectively anchored to the projection 11 by sleeving the edges of the proper opening 34 over the annular flange 22 onto the annular portion 32 of the projection 11 between said flange 22 and the anchored end 30 of the strap 14. Opposite ends of the strap 14 are anchored to the projection 11 before the rubber tube or conduit 24 from a tank of oxygen under pressure is anchored upon Patented Feb. 23, 1965 said projection 11. The strap 14 is formed from elastic plastic material such as polyvinyl chloride and exerts a pressure on the mask to cause the freeedges, 15, 16, 17

and "18 thereof to bear firmly against the face of the wearer. Preferably the strap 14 will yield ifnecessary to compensate for movement of the facial muscles when the wearer inhales and exhales.

In use, the cup-shaped body 10, with the bag 27 attached to the projection 12, and with the end 30 ofgthe.

, strap attached to the projection 11, ispositioned over the'nose and mouth of the wearer. The strap'll4 is then placed around the headof the wearer, and the edges of a selected opening 34 at'the free end 33 of the strap are anchored to the projection '11 as previously described.

'Arubber tube or conduit 24 from atank (not shown)lof oxygen underpressure is then anchored to the projection 4- 7 being tapered and having a. aximum outside diameter smaller than the inside diameterof the other tubular prohaving an outwardly projecting annular flange spaced from said base, the other of said tubular projections havand air through said openings 13 and through the tubular projection 12 into the bag 27. Thereafter, the wearer inhales a portion of the mixture of oxygen and-air from the bag 27 while inhaling oxygen from the tube :24 and this connection, the elongated openings 13 collectively are substantially equal in area to the cross sectional area'of the passage 29 in the tubular projection 12 to which the bag 27 is connected, so that the mixture of oxygen and air' discharged through said openings 13 to the atmosphere is substantially equal to that discharged through said projection 12 into the bag 27. The elastic plastic strap 14 exerts a pressure on the mask to cause the free edges 15, 16, 17 and 18 thereof to bear firmly against the face of the wearer, and will yield'if necessary to compensate for movement of the facial muscles when the wearer inhales and exhales.

What I claim as my invention is:

, l. A facial mask comprising a hollow rearwardly opening substantially cup-shaped body adaptedto be positioned over the nose and mouth of a person and having rim portions adapted to be positioned against the face of said person, the base of said cup-shaped body being upright and having two substantially parallel outwardly projecting substantially horizontal tubular projections opening into said cup-shaped body, one of said tubularprojections ing amaximum outside diameter greater than twicethe maximum outside diameter of said one tubular projection and having a substantially uniform passageway, the base of said cup-shaped body having a plurality of spaced openings arranged in a circle s'urrounding-the other of a said tubular 'projectionsand providing communicat on between the atmosphere and thein'te'rior of said cupsliaped body, means adapted'to be sleeved upon saidone tubular, projection forsupplying oxygen through'said a tapered passageway to the interior of 'saidcup-shaped body, a flexible baghaving a tubular neck sleeved upon and secured to the other of said tubular projections, said.

bagbeingadapted to receive frornsaid person a portion of an exhalation not discharged through .said openings,

and means for holding the cup-shaped body upon the face of a person, including a retaining strap adapted'to extend around the head ofa person, said" strap being provided adjacent'on'e end with an opening having edges sleeved upon said one tubular projectionin rear of said annular flange and having adjacent the otherend thereof a series of longitudinally spaced openings respectively provided with edgesadapted to'be selectivelysleeved upon said one tubular projection in rear of said annular flange.

2. The f acial mask defined in claim 1, wherein the plurality of spaced openings in said base collectively are substantially equal 'in'area to the cross sectional area of the passageway in the other of said tubular projections. 3. The facial mask defined in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of spaced openings in said base is elongated and is longitudinally curved in the arc of a circle concentric with the other of said tubular projections.

. References Cited by the Examiner V 7/06 France. 4/49 Great Britain.

' RICHARD/A. GA D n-Prinm 1555mm."

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiner. 

1. A FACIAL MASK COMPRISING A HOLLOW REARWARDLY OPENING SUBSTANTIALLY CUP-SHAPED BODY ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED OVER THE NOSE AND MOUTH OF A PERSON AND HAVING RIM PORTIONS ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED AGAINST THE FACE OF SAID PERSON, THE BASE OF SAID CUP-SHAPED BODY BEING UPRIGHT AND HAVING TWO SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL OUTWARDLY PROJECTING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL TUBULAR PROJECTION OPENING INTO SAID CUP-SHAPED BODY, ONE OF SAID TUBULAR PROJECTIONS BEING TAPERED AND HAVING A MAXIMUM OUTSIDE DIAMETER SMALLER THAN THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF THE OTHER TUBULAR PROJECTION, SAID ONE TUBULAR PROJECTION BEING PROVIDED WITH A TAPERED PASSAGEWAY, SAID ONE TUBULAR PROJECTION ALSO HAVING AN OUTWARDLY PROJECTING ANNULAR FLANGE SPACED FROM SAID BASE, THE OTHER OF SAID TUBULAR PROJECTION HAVING A MAXIMUM OUTSIDE DIAMETER GREATER THAN TWICE THE MAXIMUM OUTSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID ONE TUBULAR PROJECTION AND HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM PASSAGEWAY, THE BASE OF SAID CUP-SHAPED BODY HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED OPENINGS ARRANGED IN A CIRCLE SURROUNDING THE OTHER OF SAID TUBULAR PROJECTIONS AND PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE ATMOSPHERE AND THE INTERIOR OF SAID CUPSHAPED BODY, MEANS ADAPTED TO BE SLEEVED UPON SAID ONE TUBULAR PROJECTION FOR SUPPLYING OXYGEN THROUGH SAID TAPERED PASSAGEWAY TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID CUP-SHAPED BODY, A FLEXIBLE BAG HAVING A TUBULAR NECK SLEEVED UPON AND SECURED TO THE OTHER OF SAID TUBULAR PROJECTIONS, SAID BAG BEING ADAPTED TO REEIVE FROM SAID PERSON A PORTION OF AN EXHALATION NOT DISHCARGE THROUGH SAID OPENINGS, AND MEANS FOR HOLDING THE CUP-SHAPED BODY UPON THE FACE OF A PERSON, INCLUDING A RETAINING STRAP ADAPTED TO EXTEND AROUND THE HEAD OF A PERSON, SAID STRAP BEING PROVIDED ADJACENT, ONE END WITH AN OPENING HAVING EDGES SLEEVED UPON SAID ONE TUBULAR PROJECTION IN REAR OF SAID ANNULAR FLANGE AND HAVING ADJACENT THE OTHER END THEREOF A SERIES OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED OPENINGS RESPECTIVELY PROVIDED WITH EDGES DAPTED TO BE SELECTIVELY SLEEVED UPON SAID ONE TUBULAR PROJECTION IN RERAR OF SAID ANNULAR FLANGE. 